The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to cables, and, more particularly, to a cable entry seal for passing a cable through a structure.
Cables are often routed through various structures such as walls, bulkheads, panels, and/or the like. For example, cables are sometimes routed through a structure that defines a boundary of an enclosure. The interior of the enclosure may be a protected environment while the exterior of the enclosure may be an unprotected environment subject to varying conditions, such as inclement weather, heat, cold, dirt, debris, moisture, sunlight, and/or the like. To pass the cable into or out of the interior of the enclosure, the cable is received through an opening within the structure. While the opening provides access to the interior of the enclosure, the opening may also allow undesirable substances into the protected enclosure and/or may expose the interior of the enclosure. For example, the opening may allow dirt, debris, and/or moisture into the enclosure, and/or may expose the interior of the enclosure to inclement weather, heat, cold, and/or sunlight.
Cable entry seals are typically used to seal the opening within the structure through which the cable is received. Specifically, cable entry seals include a body that extends through, and is sealingly engaged with, the structure opening. The body includes a passageway for receiving the cable therethrough. An environmental seal, such as a boot or conduit, surrounds the cable and the body at an entry of the passageway to seal the cable to the entry. However, at least some known environmental seals are bonded to the body using an epoxy, which may increase a cost of the cable entry seal and/or may increase a difficulty of installing the cable entry seal. Moreover, at least some known environmental seals are fabricated using a molding process, which may increase a cost of the environmental seal.
The bodies of cable entry seals are typically held on the structure using a fastener on both sides of the structure. For example, the body may include a flange and a threaded nipple that extends from the flange and is received through the structure opening. The flange engages the structure on one side, while a nut is threaded onto the nipple and engages the structure on the other side. The nut and flange are tightened relative to each other to securely clamp the body onto the structure. Accordingly, an installer must have access to both sides of the structure to install the cable entry seal. Specifically, using the installer's hands and/or tools, an installer must grasp both the flange on one side of the structure and the nut on the other side of the structure, which may increase a difficulty of installing the cable entry seal.